Rock fall buries secluded Fomm ir-Riħ beach

A rock fall has buried most of the secluded pebble beach at Fomm ir-Riħ, to the dismay of swimmers and ramblers alike.
Weather page it-Temp Madwarna posted pictures on Monday showing the rockfall enveloping the beach. 

Speaking to Times of Malta, Maria Scerri, who took the images, said she witnessed the collapse roughly two weeks ago. No one was injured.
The area draws trekkers, particularly in winter, who follow a narrow path along the clay cliff face enjoying picturesque views.
The beach, though difficult to access, is enjoyed by snorkellers for its undisturbed waters. 
"That part of the northwest coast is characterised by an unstable coastline, with limestone layers over clay deposits," Professor Pauline Galea of the Department of Geosciences told Times of Malta. 
Fomm ir-Riħ is an interesting location due to its location at the tail end of the Victoria Fault Line, she added. 
While seismic activity has been the cause of similar rock falls in the past, this instance did not appear to be seismically related, according to the department's monitoring data. 
[attach id=908664 size="large" align="left" type="image"]The remnants of the bay after the rock fall. Photo: It-Temp...